Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa Records

Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa Records, 1921-1967

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa
Title: Alpha of Idaho, Phi Beta Kappa Records
Dates: 1921-1967 (inclusive)
19211967
Quantity: 2 c.f.
Collection Number: MG061 (collection)
Summary: Correspondence, minutes, financial material relating to the establishment and activities of the chapter. Some publications of the United Chapters as well as publications about the society.
Repository: University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

From 1912 to 1916 faculty members who were Phi Beta Kappa members were engaged in a futile attempt to obtain a charter for the university. Then, on November 3, 1921, this group plus members of the community who were also Phi Beta Kappa members formed the Phi Beta Kappa Club for the purpose of obtaining a local charter. In 1923 this club was expanded to include honor students and its name was changed to the Alpha Society. Perseverance, hard work, and a lot of letter writing finally paid off when, on September 8, 1925, Professor G. M. Miller, President of the Alpha Society, received the following telegram: "Charter granted with handsome majority. [signed] Oscar M. Voorhees, Secretary."

The society is composed of faculty and local residents who were elected by their undergraduate institutions for membership. These in turn elect to membership a small number of juniors and seniors with high grade point averages in the College of Letters and Science, these are called Members in Course. Alumni of the University who have had distinguished careers are eligible for election as Alumni Members and scholars associated with the university, but not holding membership from their undergraduate institutions can be elected as Honorary Members.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The papers of the Idaho Alpha chapter span the years 1921 to 1967, with the bulk of the material from the years 1926 to 1959.

The material includes correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, relating to membership, initiations, and other society matters, several editions of the local chapter by-laws, including material relating to the by-law controversy of 1941-1942, lists of members and also lists of those juniors and seniors considered for membership, and minutes of meetings from 1926-1936 and 1958-1959, as well as minutes and other material relating to the Alpha Society. The financial records include the annual report to the United Chapters, key orders, bank statements, canceled checks, and invoices, mostly from the United Chapters. There are photographs of Members in Course for 1955 and 1961, and some Phi Beta Kappa publications, addresses, and delegate manuals for conferences.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The material in this record group was originally stored in large letter transfer boxes, with some items in folders, some in envelopes, and some loose. The material was sorted by record type and original folder headings, if present, were retained. Since there did not appear to be either an alphabetical or chronological order within individual folders the material was arranged chronologically by year only in cases where a strict chronological order was not important, e.g. letters accepting membership in the society, but where a logical progression was important, a strict chronological order was formed. The major exception to this are correspondence folders 1 and 2 which were originally alphabetical and have been left in that order.

Correspondence dealing with the writing and amending of the chapter by-laws has been retained in the Constitution & By-laws series; likewise, financial correspondence is with the records of the secretary-treasurer.

Due to personnel changes in the office of secretary-treasurer the same types of records will be found in different folders, i.e. one maintained a separate folder for key orders-while another included these with the correspondence.

Acquisition Information

The Records of the local Phi Beta Kappa chapter were donated to the University of Idaho Library in the late 1960's by the society.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Correspondence, 1915-1964Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1-2	A-Z 127 items	1915-1916
1/3-5	256 items	1920-1925
1/6	Election to Membership - Form Letter 2 items	undated
1/7-9	Acceptances (Alumni) 156 items	1926-1953
1/10-12	Acceptances (Members in Course) 229 items	1926-1953
1/13-15	Arrangements for Initiations 231 items	1926-1953
1/16	Memberships and Initiations 56 items	1936-1964
1/17	Dr. Church's file on Alumni 16 items	1927-1963
1/18	With Dr. Voorhees 86 items	1925-1933
1/19	Incidental with members 76 items	1926-1950
1/20	With Other Groups 79 items	1926-1947
1/21	Cognate Organizations 17 items	1926-1938
1/22	Phi Beta Kappa Speaker & Visiting Scholar Program 114 items	1935-1961
1/23	Committee on Elections 113 items	1931-1932
1/24	Candidates for Charters 82 items	1926-1937
1/25	WSC Application for Charter 48 items	1926-1929
1/26	Conferences & Conventions 48 items	1926-1941
1/27-28	Circular letters to Chapter Officers 76 items	1926-1959
1/29	The American Scholar 42 items	1931-1953
1/30	Sesquicentennial Endowment Fund 57 items	1923-1927
1/31	Defense Fund 11 items	1939-1941
1/32	Phi Beta Kappa Associates 6 items	1937-1944
1/33	Other Correspondence 16 items	1931-1960

Series II. Constitution and By-laws, 1925-1964Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/34	United Chapters 7 items	1925-1955
1/35	U-I Chapter, Correspondence 29 items	1925-1964
1/36	U-I Chapter, drafts of By-laws 16 items	1928-1964
1/37	The Controversial By-laws at the Bottom of the Crisis of 1941-1942. 1940-1943 48 items

Series III. Membership, 1926-1966Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/38	United Chapters Committee on Methods of Election. Reports 3 items	1946-1964
2/39	Membership Committee File 17 items	1936-1964
2/40	Candidates for Election 50 items	1936-1966
2/41	Lists of Members 26 items	1926-1965

Series IV. Minutes, 1926-1959Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/42-44	Minutes 123 items	Feb. 1926 - May 1936
2/45	Minutes 10 items	1958-1959

Series V. Other Papers, 1921-1964Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/46	Papers relating to Idaho's Membership 8 items	1925
2/47	U of I Installation Programs 10 items	1926-1964
2/48	Installations - Other Chapters - Invitations 27 items	1930-1953
2/49	Phi Beta Kappa Book Award 7 items	1953-1961
2/50	Promotion of Scholarship, Comments of members 18 items	1940
2/51	Consideration of Rituals 8 items	1954-1955
2/52-53	Alpha Society 59 items	1921-1926
2/54	Inland Empire Phi Beta Kappa 36 items	1921-1941

Series VI. Financial Records, 1925-1967Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/55	Chapter Annual Reports 16 items	1938/1939-1953/1954
2/56	Correspondence with United Chapters Secretary 129 items	1931-1955
2/57	Key & Membership Certificate Orders 10 items	1956-1965
2/58	Membership Card Stub Books 3 items	1926-1932
2/59	Bank Books and Early receipts 9 items	1925-1965
2/60-70	Bank Statements, Invoices, etc. 187 items	1957-1967
2/71	Cash Journal 12 items	1962-1966
2/72	Check stub and deposit books 5 items	1955-1966

Series VII. Photographs, 1955-1961Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/73	Group picture with negative (for Gem) 2 items	1955
2/74	Group picture (Walt Johnson Photo) 1 item	1961

Series VIII. Publications, 1906-1963Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
2/75	Association Bulletin 5 items	1933-1937
2/76	Chapter Bulletin 17 items	1931-1937
2/77	The Key Reporter 2 items	1952-1955
2/78	Phi Beta Kappa Bulletin 4 items	1955-1959
2/79	Phi Beta Kappa Key 1 item	October 1915
2/80	Phi Beta Kappa Laws and Practices 1 item	1933
2/81	Publications about Phi Beta Kappa 7 items	1906-1963
2/82-83	Phi Beta Kappa Addresses 10 items	1936-1959
2/84	Delegate's manuals to triennial councils 5 items	1934-1955

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